Car-axle box



(No Model.)

R. M MGGR-ATH.

, GAR AXLE BOX.

No. 334,540. Patented Jan. 19, 1886.

N. PETERS. PhowLilhugmpher. wnhinglun, D. C.

'NTTnD STATES ROBERT M. MCGRATH, OF LAFAYETTE, INDIANA.

CAR-AXLE BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 334,540, dated January 19, 188,6.

Application filed September Q6, 1885. Serial No. 178,225.

T all whom, it may concern.:

Be it known that I, ROBERT M. MOGRATH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lafayette, in the county of Tippecanoe and State ofIndiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Axle Boxes, of which I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specication.

VIn'the construction of caraxle boxes as at y present commonly practiced it is customary to provide the box upon its outer side with a lid or slide, by opening which the interior of the box can vbe readily reached for the purpose of restoring the lubricant, examining the 2o joint, so thattheingress of dust will be avoided,

and an effective construction of box-lid heretofore devised for this purpose is that wherein a lid, formed slightly tapering or wedgeshaped, slides within correspondingly-tapered vertical grooves in the walls of the box.

In this class of devices it is important that the lid be so connected with the body of the box that there will be no danger of its being accidentally displaced or 10st, either by reason of the movement of the car or by the carelessness of the inspector in hastily opening the box; and the object of my present invention is to provide improved means whereby the accidental loss or displacement of the lid will be avoided.

To this end my invention consists in providing the lid with a stop device of improved construction, as hereinafter described, which, while permitting the lid to be freely raised, will prevent its becoming accidentally disconnected from the box.

Figure l is a view invertieal longitudinal section, the box-lid being-shown closed in full lines and open by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a View in vertical longitudinal section, illustrating the manner of slipping the box-lid intoits place. Fig. 3 is a view in vertical transverse section on line w x of Fig. l.

.A designates the body of the axlebox, in the flanged side walls of which are formed the tapering vertical grooves a, having near their tops the seats a. Within the grooves a of the (No model.)

box tits, in a manner free to slide, the lid or cap B, which is tapered, as shown, to corre spond with the grooves a, so that the weight of the lid when closed will cause it to form with the box a very tight joint. The seats a at the tops of the grooves a serve as rests for the lid when raised to open the box. Upon the inner side of the lid B is formed the recess C, within which, on a suitable pin, c, is journaled, in a manner free to swing,.the stop or pawl D. The lower hooked end, d, of this pawl, when in its normal position, as seen in Fig. 1, projects a sufticient distance beyond the inner face of the lid to engage with the upper edge of the seat a2, formed at the top ofthe box, and thus guard'the lid against accidental displacement or withdrawal from the grooves a of the box. The recess Gis preferably formed of such size, and the journal-pin c is placed in such position therein that the pawl D can be turned into the upper portion of the recess, as seen in Fig. 2, when the lid is to be placed into the grooves a of the box, or is to be purposely drawn therefrom. The outer wall of this recess serves as a handle for lifting the lid.

From the foregoing description the operation will be seen to be as follows: In order to permit the lid B to be placed within the vertical groove a of the box, the 'stop or pawl D will be turned into the upper portion of the recess C, so as to allow the pawl to avoid the front edge of the seat a2 at the top of the box. Vhen the lid B is thus placed on the box, the free end of pawl D will swing downward and will rest against the bottom of the recess C. When the lid B is raised to permit the inspec` tion of the journals' or renewal of the piping, the hooked end d of the pawl D will engage with the edge of the recess a2 at the top of the box, and will prevent the withdrawal of the lid from the vertical groove a, and the lid can be retained in its raised position by placing its bottom corner in the seat a at the tops of the vertical grooves. The pawl D serves not only to prevent the withdrawal of the lid from the box when the lid is hurriedly lifted, but also securely guards against all danger of the accidental displacement of the lid by reason of the motion of the car. Y

It will be readily understood that the preeise details of construction above set out may IOO be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters 5 Patent, is-

1. In a car-nxle box, the combination, with the body of the box, of a lid provided with a stop or pawl pivoted to swing at right angles to the plane of the lid, substantially as de- 1o scribed.

2. In a car-axle box, the combination, with the body of the box, of :L lid provided with a. stop or pzLWl pivotully held on the inner side thereof and entirely within the body of the I5 box, substantially as described.

ROBERT M. MCGRATH.

"Witnesses:

CHARLES B. STUART, THOMAS S. WILSON. 

